Realist Theories

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Slide 2

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RIGHT REALISM Share a conservative, New Right political outlook and support a `zero tolerance' stance on crime.…read more

Slide 3

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Right Realism· See crime, especially street crime, as a growing problem· Other theories have failed to solve the problem of crime· Regard labelling theory and critical criminology as too sympathetic to the criminal and hostile to the police and courts· Mainly concerned with practical solutions to reduce crime· The best solutions to reduce crime is through control and punishment, rather than rehabilitation or tackling causes such as poverty…read more

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The causes of crimeBiological differences· Wilson and Hernstein ­ crime is caused by a combination of biological and social factors· Biological differences between individuals make some people innately predisposed to commit crime· Personality traits such as aggressiveness, risk-taking or low intelligence are biologically determined· Eval: Evidence for intelligence being biologically determined is limited· Lilly et al ­ differences in intelligence accounted for only 3% of the difference in offending…read more

Slide 5

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The causes of crimeThe underclass· Effective socialisation decreases the risk of offending by teaching self-control and correct values· Murray ­ generous welfare provision leads to growth of benefit-dependent lone parent families, undermines the nuclear family and encourages the growth of the underclass who fail to socialise their children properly· Absent fathers mean that boys lack discipline and an appropriate role model, so they turn to delinquent role models in street gangs and gain status through their crime rather than through supporting their families…read more

Slide 6

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The causes of crimeRational choice theory· Assumes individuals are rational beings with free will· Clarke ­ deciding to commit crime is choice based on a rational calculation of the consequences, if the rewards of crime appear to outweigh the costs, people are more likely to offend· RR ­ crime rate is high because the perceived costs are low e. g. lenient punishments and low risk of being caught· Felson's routine activity theory ­ for crime to occur there must be a motivated offender, suitable target and absence of suitable guardian (policeman, neighbour)· Offenders act rationally, presence of a guardian would deter them· Criminals = rational and free to choose crime but their behaviour is also determined by their biology and socialisation?…read more